


Bread & Roses in the City of Etheria

by bakeApie



Category: She-Ra and the Princesses of Power (2018)
Genre: Adora and Catra are lawyers, Adora says ACAB, Adora says Eat the Rich, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, F/F, LHB Adora, Lovers to enemies to lovers, Police Brutality, income inequality, might get spicy later
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-09-21
Updated: 2020-10-17
Packaged: 2021-03-08 00:21:45
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 12,008
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26576722
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/bakeApie/pseuds/bakeApie
Summary: The City of Etheria is wracked by extreme income inequality and rapid gentrification driven by a tech boom. Horde Prime, the nation's favorite online shopping megacorp, is headquartered in Etheria and at the center of the boom. Hordak, CEO of Horde Prime, is the richest man in the world, getting richer by the minute.Adora is the lead counsel for tenants rights nonprofit, The People's Alliance. She's organizing a class action lawsuit against Shadow Weaver, the city's most notorious slum lord. Catra is a rising star in Horde Prime's legal team.They meet at a bar, sparks fly, and cultures clash.
Relationships: Adora/Catra (She-Ra)
Comments: 35
Kudos: 77





	1. Happy Hour in the Fright Zone

**Author's Note:**

> Just a couple of notes to help you imagine this AU. Basically, Etheria is Seattle. The Fright Zone is Downtown/Belltown. The Brightmoon is Capitol Hill. Horde Prime is Amazon. Hordak is Jeff Bezos.
> 
> This chapter is pretty tame but there will be depictions of police brutality in later chapters. I have 8 chapters planned and hope to post every two weeks.

Catra hadn’t gotten off work early on a Friday in weeks and she was more than ready to unwind at a happy hour with her friends. As one of the newer members of Horde Prime’s in-house counsel, most of her time was spent writing briefs and digging into legal research on the creative ways the company could minimize their tax burden or reduce employee benefits - anything to save a dime. Catra worked long hours and, honestly, she hated it. But the pay was more than adequate, so she wasn’t complaining.

When she arrived at the bar, her friends Scorpia and Entrapta were already there. They also worked at Horde Prime but were on the research and development side, so Catra didn’t usually get the chance to see them at work. Scorpia was one of the coders working on _the algorithm_ , which was ostensibly Horde Prime’s most valuable asset. If you’ve ever thought wistfully about something random and then seen an ad for that exact object pop up in your timeline, Scorpia’s team was probably responsible. Entrapta was working on Horde Prime’s autonomous vehicles project, but her real expertise was in artificial intelligence. She had even built her own personal AI assistant named Emily that she kept a constant chatter with as Emily was another person sitting at the table. Emily made Catra uncomfortable, but she would never admit that to Entrapta.

“Wildcat! You made it!” Scorpia boomed, as she saw Catra making her way across the bar. The huge woman leapt out of the booth and scooped Catra up in a bear hug.

“Dude, put me down!” Catra squeaked, struggling to free herself from Scorpia’s arms. “I need a drink. You guys want anything from the bar?”

“No, we’re good, we just got a round.”

Catra nodded and dropped her stuff at their booth and then headed to the crowded bar to order a cocktail. The line was long and Catra killed time by scrolling halfheartedly through instagram and watching the baseball game playing on one of the many screens above the bar. She didn’t pay much attention to the crowd around her. This bar was the heart of the Fright Zone, Etheria’s tech and business district, and the sea of bland tech bros held absolutely zero interest for Catra. She was just there to unwind and hang out with her friends.

She finally got her drink - a dirty gin martini, extra olives - and turned to head back to the table. As she turned, she was walloped by a huge elbow, the impact knocking her drink out of her hand and causing her to hiss “God damn it!”

Her mismatched blue and amber eyes burned with anger as she looked up, preparing to cuss out whatever big idiot crashed into her. As she opened her mouth to unleash her tirade, she realized she was staring face to face with a gorgeous blonde woman with the most sincere look of horror and embarrassment painted across her face.

“Oh my god, I’m so sorry!” the woman exclaimed. “Shit, did it get on you?”

Catra’s brain was slightly scrambled by the sight of the woman and it took her a beat to register the question. She patted herself down, finding quickly that the drink had miraculously missed her, most of it sloshed onto the floor. She still dressed in her work clothes, a halfway decent suit, and it would be ruined by a dousing in gin and vermouth. “No, looks like I’m good,” she said.

“Let me get you another, I’m about to order. What was it?”

“Uh...dirty gin martini, extra olives.”

The woman relayed the order to the bartender. “I’m such a disaster,” she laughed. “Seriously, I do that to someone like every time I go out. I should just keep my huge fucking hands in my pockets. Anyway, sorry again. I’m Adora.” And then Adora extended one her huge fucking hands towards Catra.

“Catra,” she said, grasping Adora’s outstretched hand. Her hand was warm and rough and sent shivers up Catra’s arm as it grasped her slender palm. Catra returned the firm handshake and added, “Don’t worry about it. It was just a drink.”

When their drinks arrived (much faster than Catra would have liked), Catra clinked her glass against Adora’s pint, thanked her again, and returned to her friends.

“So...who were you talking to at the bar?” Scorpia teased. “Don’t think we didn’t notice you chatting up that blonde up.”

“Oh my god, Scorpia. Just some woman. She knocked my drink over right as I got it, so she bought me another one to replace it. That’s all.”

“Mmhmm, mmhmm, yes, okay, so you weren’t, I don’t know, ogling her sculpted biceps or getting lost in her crystal blue eyes?”

Catra rolled her eyes, “No Scorpia, I was not.”

“Okay, and you definitely weren’t blushing and giggling like a school girl?”

“Jesus, how closely were you watching me?!”

“I just know your type and that woman is one hundred percent your type.”

It was true. If Catra had a weakness, it was tall muscle-bound LHBs. If she had a second weakness, it was pretty blue eyes. Okay, yes, Adora was her type. And the big hands didn’t help.

“Well, nothing’s going to come of it, and I’m not here to pick anyone up, so whatever.” Catra took a long sip of her martini and laughed at how much fun Scorpia was having with the whole situation. If Catra’s job had allowed for any free time for dating, Scorpia would have been the ultimate wingman. She was constantly trying to get Catra out there, offering to set up with friends or manage her dating apps. But Catra was so busy that she never even thought about dating.

“Well, just so you know, Wildcat, she hasn’t stopped looking over here since you sat down.” Catra flushed deeply upon hearing that and, without even thinking, turned and looked in the direction Scorpia was indicating. As her eyes connected with Adora’s, she was met with a cocky grin and, outrageously, a wink. It was so corny that Catra couldn’t help but start laughing. She shook her head incredulously and rolled her eyes. Adora raised pint in acknowledgement and then turned back to her friends.

Scorpia nearly lost her shit at the whole interaction. “CATRA! Oh my god, you have to go talk to her now. Go!”

“I’m not just going to walk over there and insert myself into her conversation. Chill, Scorpia.”

As much as Catra did want to go over, that was not her style. Catra _always_ played it cool. Maybe too cool. But she was definitely not going to fall all over herself like a moron because someone winked at her.

She surveyed the group Adora was sitting with. It looked like she was sitting with a couple, a small woman with pink and purple hair and sparkly oversized sweater and a guy in a crop top with a big heart across the chest. The trio was definitely out of place in the Fright Zone. Catra wasn’t about to just descend on the table without a plan. She finished off her martini as she mulled over her options.

She kept an eye on Adora’s table as she and her friends chatted and finished off their last round. It looked like Adora’s group was finishing their drinks and would be leaving soon, so Catra decided it was now or never. 

“Alright,” she said to Scorpia and Entrapta. “I’m going in. Give me some time and DO NOT follow me. Close our tab so we can leave as soon as I come back.”

She slipped out of the booth and headed toward the back patio of the bar, making pointed eye contact with Adora as she passed her table. When she got to the patio, she leaned against a wall and waited. Her message had been received, and Adora soon appeared at the patio door. In the dim lighting, Adora couldn’t see where Catra was leaning and stood in the doorway scanning the patio.

“Hey, Adora,” Catra called across the patio. Adora drifted across the patio, grinning like an idiot, causing Catra to briefly reconsider her plan. But when Adora arrived in front of her and Catra grasped her thick wrist, all second thoughts went out the wind. She pulled Adora’s arm towards her, pushed her sleeve up, and quickly scribbled her number on the inside of her muscular forearm. “Call me,” she said, as she finished writing.

Adora stood, dumbfounded, for a few seconds. “You couldn’t have just entered your number in my phone?”

All of the cockiness seemed to have drained from her when Catra had taken hold of her wrist. Catra felt her shudder a little under her grasp. She stared directly into Adora’s crystal blue eyes, smirking slightly and running her thumb along Adora’s wrist, enjoying the way it seemed to electrify Adora.

“It’s more fun this way,” Catra purred. She stretched up and kissed Adora’s cheek lightly. “Bye, Adora.” And before Adora could reply, Catra had returned to the bar and was on her way out with Scorpia and Entrapta.

* * * * *

Adora stood stunned on the patio for a minute. She held her hand up to her cheek where Catra had kissed her, trying to commit the feeling and Catra’s heady scent to memory. When she finally returned to the table, Glimmer and Bow were bursting with questions.

“WHO was THAT?!” Glimmer demanded.

“More importantly, what the hell just happened?” added Bow.

“That was Catra, and I got her number.” Adora held up her wrist, smiling.

“I can’t believe that, out of all the places in Etheria, you end up picking someone up in a bar in the Fright Zone. Seriously, we came here as a joke. But holy shit, good job, Adora.”

Adora knew how much Glimmer hated the Fright Zone and the “Horde scum” that populated it. The impact of Horde Prime was visible everywhere in the Fright Zone, from the company’s shiny headquarters looming over homeless encampments in the district to the automated corner shops and app-driven _everything_. The Fright Zone was simultaneously a futuristic wonderland and a dystopian hellscape.

Glimmer, Bow and Adora all worked for a nonprofit called the People’s Alliance that was currently focused on housing inequity in Etheria. Adora, the Alliance’s lawyer, was building a class action lawsuit against a slumlord named Shadow Weaver who was illegally evicting tenants from apartment complexes across the city. Glimmer and Bow were both community organizers with the Alliance.

The trio had decided to hit up a happy hour in the Fright Zone for “research purposes,” to see how the 1% lived. Not that everyone who lived or worked in the Fright Zone was the 1%, but they definitely represented Horde Prime and the other tech companies responsible for the rapid gentrification of Etheria. Adora had definitely not come out tonight to douchebag central planning to meet someone.

“Seriously Adora, how did you pull that off?” Bow asked. Adora was still a little light headed from Catra’s touch and struggled to answer the onslaught of questions.

“Honestly, I don’t really know how it happened. I told you about the bar earlier, where I knocked her drink over and we, like, had a moment or whatever, but then it was a totally different vibe outside.”

Adora wasn’t the smoothest flirt in Etheria but she was usually confident enough to crack some jokes or charm a pretty girl. The wink earlier in the evening was classic Adora -- goofy enough to disarm her target and win a smile. What happened on the patio was a whole new thing completely. While Adora hadn’t known what to expect when she followed Catra out to the patio, she definitely hadn’t expected to be struck speechless by a simple touch on her wrist and kiss on the cheek.

“Different how?” Glimmer asked suspiciously. “You were only out there for a couple of minutes. Not much could have happened.”

“I don’t know! It was like she was completely calm and in control and I just stumbled around like an idiot. I followed her out there, and she grabbed my wrist and wrote down her number, and then she kissed my cheek and left.”

“She KISSED you?” Glimmer was losing her mind. “I can’t believe you let some rich asshole Horde scum kiss you!”

“I mean, not really...it was just a kiss on the cheek. You know, like what they do in Europe or something, not like a real kiss. Plus, I have no idea if she’s quote-unquote _Horde scum_. Just because she was here doesn’t mean she’s an asshole. I mean, yes, this bar is full of rich assholes, and she was wearing that suit, but I don’t actually know anything about her.” _Except that she smells amazing and has the softest hands and most beautiful, mismatched eyes I’ve ever seen._ Adora zoned out a little at the memory of Catra’s touch.

“Ugh, fine, whatever. Let’s go home.”

Adora thought about texting Catra on the bus ride back to the Brightmoon, Etheria’s arts district, where she lived in co-op with Bow, Glimmer and a few other community activists. _No, it’s too soon. I should wait. Play it cool. Right? Yes. Okay. Tomorrow._ She transcribed Catra’s number from her wrist to her phone but decided to wait until at least tomorrow to text her.

* * * * *

Catra sank into her couch and sighed. Her cat Melog hopped up on the couch next to her and started purring and kneading her thigh. Relaxing alone on her couch with Melog was the ultimate feeling of comfort for Catra. She’d spent her entire youth being shuffled between group homes and foster families, with almost nothing to call her own and nobody to rely on. But now she owned her own home where she could relax and do as she pleased. No rules, no bureaucracy, no guilt from feeling like a burden or _problem._ And nobody could take it away from her. She loved living alone and she took pride in knowing that everything in that house was something that she had earned and she deserved.

She flipped on the TV and surfed through a few channels before settling on a _Chopped_ marathon. They were on the dessert round and one of the mystery ingredients was chili cheese fritos. One of the contestants was trying to make spicy ice cream. _Sucker_ , Catra snorted. _Ice cream never turns out right_.

“What a weird night, buddy,” Catra muttered to Melog, thinking back to Adora. “Think she’ll call me? Probably not tonight. That would be weird.” Melog purred a noncommittal reply.

She had replayed the patio scene to Scorpia in the Uber they shared back to their neighborhood. Scorpia was simultaneously very impressed and outraged that Catra had given her number without getting Adora’s in return. But Catra felt confident Adora would contact her. Catra was pretty certain that she had short circuited Adora’s brain on the patio, and that at least warranted a text. _And if she doesn’t, well, then it wasn’t meant to be, right?_

Catra wondered what Adora and her friends were even doing at a bar in the Fright Zone. From the way they were dressed, she knew they weren’t coming from work. Horde Prime and other tech companies weren’t known for their formal dress codes but people didn’t wear crop tops and sparkly sweaters to work. Maybe they were tourists?

The _Chopped_ episode ended (she was right, the ice cream was a disaster) and Catra flipped off the TV and headed to bed. She crashed minutes after her head hit the pillow and slept deeply until late the next morning. When she finally woke up, she had a series of texts from an unknown number. _Dang, she didn’t waste any time. Is that a red flag? Maybe just a yellow..._

**Unknown (9:34am)**

_Hi Catra_

_This is Adora_

_Weird times at that bar last night, right?_

_Anyway, wondering if you want to get coffee sometime?_

_Let me know_

“WTF does she mean, weird times?” Catra asked an uninterested Melog. Catra thought for a while about a reply. Aside from the weird times thing, Catra liked that the texts cut to the chase. None of the endless back and forth that usually preceded a shitty date. She was definitely interested, but she decided to hold off for a while, but finally replied later that evening.

**Catra (6:48pm)**

_Hey Adora_

_Coffee sounds good, when/where were you thinking?_

**Adora (6:52pm)**

_Hey!_

_Sometime this week? Maybe Thursday?_

**Catra (7:01pm)**

_Weekdays are pretty tough for me_

_My work schedule is gnarly_

_Next weekend maybe?_

**Adora (7:05pm)**

_I’m working next weekend_

_Ugh_

_Maybe the weekend after?_

**Catra (7:08pm)**

_Yeah, that works_

_Saturday morning?_

**Adora (7:10pm)**

_Perfect_

_Can’t wait :)_

...

_BTW - where do you work?_

That last text came a while after their main conversation had ended. Catra hesitated. She didn’t like to talk about work in general, let alone with someone she didn’t even know. Not only was the legal work she did for Horde Prime highly protected, she also felt generally uncomfortable publicizing that she worked for Horde Prime. In the polarized political landscape of Etheria, you never knew what someone’s feelings toward the megacorp were.

**Catra (7:33pm)**

_Sorry, I don’t mean to be weird, but I’d rather not talk about my work_

_..._

_It’s just kind of sensitive_

_I’m a lawyer_

Catra waited with baited breath for a reply, hoping she hadn’t scared Adora off. The reply came in a few minutes later.

**Adora (7:42pm)**

_It’s cool, no worries_

_I’m a lawyer too_

_I get it_

**Catra (7:44pm)**

_No shit, that crazy_

_Glad you understand_

The conversation dropped off after that, but Catra felt okay about it. She was intrigued by the fact that Adora was also a lawyer. She wondered what kind, given that Adora had mentioned that she had to work over the weekend. Catra often worked through the weekend too, but not on the clock. Catra thought she could probably figure it out with a quick Google, but she decided not to.

A couple of days later, she got another text from Adora.

**Adora (2:21pm)**

_So if you don’t want to talk about work, tell me something else about yourself_

Catra thought for a few minutes. How much should she disclose? She decided to keep it light.

**Catra (2:28pm)**

_I’m a scorpio_

**Adora (2:29pm)**

_Astrology? Really?_

_If you’re going to start with that, I’m going to need to know your moon + rising signs too_

**Catra (2:32pm)**

_Lol_

_Scorpio sun, pisces moon, aries rising_

**Adora (2:34pm)**

_Shit_

_I’m gonna need to cancel on that coffee date_

**Catra (2:35pm)**

_?????_

**Adora (2:36pm)**

_Jk_

_But if I actually believed in astrology, I’d steer clear of you_

**Catra (2:38pm)**

_Ok, I have no idea what that means but I think I’m glad you don’t believe in astrology_

_I think it’s bullshit too_

_But as a single queer in this city, I gotta keep up appearances_

_You know how it is_

_Every other woman I meet is a witch or a tarot reader or some magic shit_

**Adora (2:41pm)**

_The number of times I’ve been asked if I wanted to “pull a card” on a first date_

🤯🤯🤯

**Catra (2:42pm)**

**😂**

Their texts went on from there, nearly every day. Catra was genuinely charmed by this woman, who seemed to be smart, sarcastic, and, most importantly, interested. In her. Catra was looking forward to their coffee date.


	2. Workdays

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Some insight into Catra and Adora's work, and another happy hour

“ADORA!” Glimmer yelled across the People’s Alliance office, a crowded and cramped space above a dive bar in the Brightmoon district. “That reporter is on the line again, she really wants to talk to you about this weekend.”

“Yeah, Glimmer, I’ll take it now.” Adora wasn’t dodging the reporter -- any press is great for the cause -- but she had been too busy to take any calls all morning. She picked up the line. “Hi, this is Adora Grayskull.”

“Hi Adora, Mermista Salineas with the Etheria Times. We talked briefly last week. I was hoping to check in with you about shadowing you this weekend as you interview tenants around town regarding Shadow Weaver Properties. I’ve cleared my Saturday and can meet you wherever you’re planning to start.”

“That’s great. I’m going to be starting at 10am with a couple of families that are being threatened with eviction at the Whispering Woods Apartments, I can text you the address.”

“Excellent. And just so you know, I’ll be bringing a Times photographer with me. Do you have time now to answer a few questions about the class action case?”

“Great on the photographer. And yeah, I have a few minutes now but I can’t talk for long.”

“Okay, I’ll try to be quick. Can you just summarize the suit and explain why the People’s Alliance is organizing it now?

“Yes, well, we’re organizing a class action lawsuit against Shadow Weaver Properties, one of Etheria’s largest property management companies. The suit alleges that SWP is illegally raising rents beyond the 10% annual cap and forcing evictions when tenants refuse to agree to the increased rent. It’s a class action suit because there are dozens of current tenants facing eviction right now, and many more who have been evicted over the past two years. In addition to the evictions, SWP has failed to maintain their properties according to Etheria city codes, resulting in dangerous living situations for tenants in several of the older SWP-managed buildings. The People’s Alliance is helping to organize a tenant’s union to protect current tenants from these kinds of abuses. On Saturday, I’ll be interviewing families that are currently being threatened with eviction. My colleagues Glimmer Moon and Bow Archer will also be there working on the union. They’re actually better versed in that project that I am, and you should be able to interview them on Saturday.”

“What do you hope to achieve by bringing this suit against SWP?”

Adora took that question as an opportunity to launch into some standard People’s Alliance talking points. “We hope to ensure affordable and dignified housing to all the residents of Etheria. Rapid gentrification over the last decade has really changed the landscape and families that used to be able to afford to live in the city can’t anymore. Housing is a basic human right and it’s not just that the only people who can afford to live in the city are the employees of tech firms like Horde Prime. What about the people that clean Horde Prime’s offices at night, or the folks that make their lunches and drive their rideshares? Not to mention that homelessness has increased by about 5% every year for the last five years, and there are over 10,000 unhoused people in Etheria. Ultimately, real solutions will probably require government intervention, but a lawsuit like this one will hopefully slow down rising housing costs and help keep folks in their homes.”

Adora glanced at the clock on her computer screen. “Sorry Mermista, I’ve gotta go, I’m already late for my next call. But we can talk more on Saturday.”

“Thanks Adora, I’ll see you then.”

Glimmer had been watching Adora during the call. “How’d it go?” she shouted across the office.

“Fine, I think. I got a lot of details in. Who knows what she’s going to put in the article. I told her she could talk to you and Bow about the tenants union on Saturday, so you should probably prepare for that. I feel like she’s on the same page as us.”

The Etheria Times was not a progressive paper by any measure but it also wasn’t in the pocket of Horde Prime. Adora had a feeling Mermista’s article would give the People’s Alliance some good press, but you never know. Adora spent the rest of the afternoon scheduling meetings with tenants at the Whispering Woods Apartments and Snow Towers.

* * *

Thursday night was “family meal” at the house. Adora, Glimmer and Bow were on chef duty and were putting the finishing touches on the meal when Adora’s phone started buzzing. She checked the text:

**Catra (6:25pm)**

_You and your friends hitting up the fright zone again tomorrow?_

“Adora!” chided Bow, “You know there are no phones at family meal!”

Adora rolled her eyes. “The food’s not even on the table, and I’m just reading a text.”

"Who’s texting you anyway?” asked Glimmer. “You don’t have any friends besides me and Bow.”

“Rude!” gasped Adora, feigning outrage. “It’s that woman from the bar last week. We’ve been talking a little.” Actually more than a little, but Adora wasn’t going to let Glimmer get all up in her business.

Over the past week, Adora and Catra had been playing a slow moving game of twenty questions via text and Adora had started compiling a mental list of key facts about the mysterious woman. It was a short list; Catra seemed committed to holding back any actual biographical or otherwise significant information. But she was sarcastic and flirty and Adora was definitely interested. Catra’s reticence was a challenge Adora couldn’t ignore.

She had learned that Catra was new(ish) to Etheria and that she had a pet cat named Melog. _Weird name, but okay; pets are a good sign._ Catra hated rain, which was constant in Etheria, but she liked morning fog and the sound of the ships in the harbor. Adora thought that was surprisingly soft for someone who seemed so grouchy all the time. Catra had a view of Mt. Mara through her kitchen window, and she sometimes wondered if it would ever erupt again. Adora hadn’t even known that Mt. Mara was a volcano before that.

Adora was a chronic oversharer and had been struggling to match Catra’s air of mystery. She knew she should at least try to have some chill but she had already revealed way more personal information that Catra had, like that she was adopted and lived in a co-op with seven other people. Since that first conversation about work, when Catra seemed to draw a hard boundary, Adora had steered clear of asking Catra about anything work-related. Her initial question had been innocent, a basic getting to know you throwaway, but Catra’s refusal to talk about it lodged in Adora’s brain and drove her crazy with curiosity. And yet, she was doing her best to respect the boundary. Catra said it was sensitive and she didn’t want to discuss it, so Adora laid off. _But it would be so easy to google her…_ “Catra” was a strange enough name that there probably weren’t any other Catras practicing law in Etheria. Unless it was a nickname? Adora didn’t know her last name, either. But no, she resisted, telling herself that it wasn’t weird to keep your work private and that Catra would probably tell her eventually, if whatever was going on between them kept going.

Catra’s refusal to talk work made Adora decide to try to keep her work private too. Normally she would be talking constantly about the People’s Alliance and everything that the org was working on. She would probably even try to recruit Catra and her friends for one of their campaigns or phone banks. If Catra wasn’t going to talk about her work, Adora wouldn’t talk either. So when they texted, they would mention when they were working but never where or what they were working on.

“Ohhhh, you’ve been ‘ _talking_ ’ ‘ _a little_ ’?” Glimmer teased as they carried the food out to the table. “What’s her deal?”

“I don’t know yet...we’re gonna get coffee next week. She just asked if we’re going out to the Fright Zone again tomorrow.”

“Ugh, no way, that bar was awful. I mean, you can go if you want but no fucking way I’m going out the Fright Zone again.”

“Yeah, no, I’ll just say we’re not going out. I mean, we have to work Saturday anyway.”

“Tell her to come to the Brightmoon,” Bow suggested.

“Should I? I don’t know. I feel like she works in the Fright Zone, she probably doesn’t want to come up here.”

“Ughhhhh,” Glimmer groaned. “First of all, if she works in the Fright Zone, she’s probably Horde scum and she sucks. Second, you already know she wants to hang out because she literally just asked you. Third, if she’s not willing to come to the Brightmoon, her loss.”

Glimmer was right. Adora waited until after dinner to text back.

**Adora (8:47pm)**

_I guess someone can’t wait to see me…_

**Catra (8:48pm)**

_Ok you know what, nvm_

**Adora (8:49pm)**

_Wow, so sensitive_

_I think we’re going to stay in the Brightmoon this week_

_My friends kind of hate the fright zone_

🤷♀️

**Catra (8:49pm)**

_tbh I also kind of hate the fz_

**Adora (8:50pm)**

_Do you want to meet up with us here?_

**Catra (8:52pm)**

_Maybe...I might have to work late, I don’t know yet_

**Adora (8:52pm)**

_Well just let me know_

_I’m working Saturday morning so I prob won’t be out late_

* * *

Catra scrolled through her calendar on Friday morning, trying to calculate if an early evening was even possible. Meetings all morning, quick lunch break, a meeting with her boss in the afternoon and then she was in the clear. She actually could probably wrap everything up early today and meet up with Adora.

She knew she had already shown her cards when she had texted Adora the night before, but she had hedged on her commitment to meet up because she really wasn’t sure yet. Adora was intriguing -- hot, for sure, corny in a charming way, but way more earnest than the women Catra usually talked to. Adora made Catra nervous somehow. It was as if her openness was contagious and might make Catra vulnerable to showing too much too soon. She decided she needed an outside opinion.

**Hordecrew GC**

**Catra (9:45am)**

_Hey Scorpia, you know that girl I met at the bar last week?_

_She invited me to meet up with her and her friends at a bar in the Brightmoon tonight, but I also already have plans to get coffee with her next weekend_

_Do you think I’ll look overeager/desperate if I go tonight?_

**Scorpia (10:05am)**

_Wildcat! No way! Definitely go_

_Who cares if you already have plans later??_

_You’re into her right?_

_Why play games?_

**Catra (10:06am)**

_Ugh, I knew you would say that_

_Why did I even ask?_

**Entrapta (10:08am)**

_If you knew what she was going to say, then you were obviously just looking for permission and encouragement to go_

_You should go_

**Scorpia (10:09am)**

_Good point Entrapta!!_

**Catra (10:09am)**

🙄

  
  


* * *

Catra was waiting awkwardly in the lounge outside her boss’s office. His secretary kept eyeing her, as if Catra was bothering her by simply existing in the room. Catra didn’t have one on ones with her boss that often and she wasn’t sure what this meeting was about.

Catra’s boss was head of Horde Prime legal and the CEO Hordak’s right hand man. The rest of the legal team referred to him as “the Imp” behind his back because he was cold and small and ruthless when it came to conjuring the convoluted legal arguments that protected Horde Prime from government oversight. He creeped Catra out, but she seemed to have remained in his favor throughout her time at Horde Prime, as far as she could tell. Catra squared her shoulders and took a deep breath before entering his office.

“Mr. Impaglia will see you now.” The secretary buzzed her into the office where the Imp was waiting. 

He stood as she entered the room. “Ms. Chavez, come in. How’s your day going so far? Can I get you anything to drink?”

“Thanks, but no. My day has been good. I’m wrapping up that brief you sent over yesterday, should have it done in an hour or so.”

“Wonderful. You have a good eye for that work. I’ve been paying attention to the work you’ve done since you started here with us, and I have a new project for you. Have you been following the news?”

Catra racked her brain, trying to figure out what he could be referring to. _Privacy concerns about facial recognition? Car accidents caused by same-day delivery trucks? Hordak’s new title as world’s richest person? Shit, it could be anything…_ “I have been, but I’m not sure if I know exactly what you’re referring to.” 

“Well, I’m sure you know that there has been quite a bit of action around homelessness in the city lately. People are demanding the city take action.”  
  
“I’ve seen some of the demonstrations around town. What does that have to do with Horde Prime?”

“Nothing directly, but there’s a new movement amongst certain activist circles to pressure the city council to levee an employee head tax on large companies that operate within the city. As Etheria’s largest employer, Horde Prime would be subjected to an unbelievably large cost if such a tax were imposed. So high, in fact, that Horde Prime might consider moving operations to a more tax friendly city.”

“Okay, but how does my work fit in?”

“I’d like you to do a little background research for me.”  
  
“On what?”

“On our city council members. Of course, we already have fairly comprehensive profiles compiled on each of them, but I would like you to review them and find out if there are any... _vulnerabilities_.”

“You mean we need leverage.”

"Yes, exactly.”

“This isn’t really my area of expertise. Couldn’t you have someone in intel or security look into it?

“Oh, we are. But I’d like you to approach this from the legal side. I’m going to send you our intel and have you determine if there are any legal actions that we can threaten based on what we’ve dug up. I’d also like you to handle any media requests related to Horde Prime’s stance on the head tax. Interviews, quote requests, etc.”

“I can definitely handle the research, but wouldn’t someone from public relations be better suited for media stuff? I’m not trained in PR.”

“Hordak feels it’s better to have a lawyer answer sensitive questions, and we anticipate that reporters will start sniffing around once the head tax vote actually makes it way to city council. I typically handle the big issues but other members of the legal team often handle smaller matters. This is an excellent opportunity for you to get your name out there, build a public profile. Hordak will notice if everything goes smoothly. I can get you some media training if you feel you need it.”

“Alright, sounds good. Is there anything else I should be aware of?”

“No, that’s all. I’ll have the files sent over to your office on Monday. Have a good weekend.”

Catra replayed the conversation as she returned to her own office downstairs. She had always assumed that Horde Prime had no qualms about throwing its weight in city politics, but she had managed to stay clear of anything too dirty in the year that she’d been with the company. That bit about building her profile, she knew what that meant. Promotions, raises, security. But it was a double edged sword; get too entangled in Horde Prime’s web and you might not find a way out. At least she had the weekend before she had to dive in, and she was definitely looking forward to happy hour more than she was earlier.

* * *

Catra texted Adora from her rideshare as she headed up the hill to the Brightmoon to let her know she was almost there. She was still feeling _something_ after that meeting. Nervous? Or maybe she was on edge because she was diving headfirst, willingly, into _Adora’s world_. She knew Adora’s friends would be there, and that this was their regular happy hour bar. She had no backup and she couldn’t just dip out whenever she wanted like she had the week before. She was committed to at least a drink, at least an hour, right? She and Adora had been texting a lot but texting and talking in person are two completely different things and Catra doubted talking would be as easy as sending off a few flirty texts. Plus, that ridiculous shit she pulled on the patio at the bar last week, fueled by too many martinis and that cocky wink Adora had sent her across the bar, was going to be hard to top. If Adora was expecting a reprise, she was going to be disappointed. 

How long had it been since she’d been on a date? A couple of months? Was this a date? _No, not a date_ , Catra reassured herself. There would be other people there, it’s just a casual thing. _Alright, here we go_ , as she stepped out of the car.

The bar was small, dark, and packed. Catra strained her eyes as she entered, scanning the room for Adora. The crowd was a standard mix of Brightmoon queers drinking and talking over the music. Catra was glad she’d changed before coming. The suit she’d been wearing earlier would have made her stand out like some corporate dork but her black on black on black look was fine. _More than fine, I look better than most of these idiots_ , she reassured herself. She caught sight of a giant blonde waving enthusiastically at her from the back corner.

“Catra! I’m so glad you made it! Here!” Adora slid a martini across the table towards her. Catra was impressed that she remembered her order from last week. Adora had scooted into the booth to make room for her, so Catra slid into open space. “Catra, this is Glimmer and that’s Bow.” Adora was with the same couple she’d been with last week. Catra smiled and raised her glass in acknowledgement.

“Soooo,” Glimmer started in. “Welcome to our bar. Have you been here before?”

“Ah, no. Not here. I come up to the Brightmoon pretty frequently but I’ve never been to this spot before.”

“We come every Friday!” Bow beamed. He oozed positivity and Catra bristled at his giant smile.

“Then what were you all doing at a bar in the Fright Zone last week?”

“Research,” Glimmer said with a laugh.

Catra’s brow furrowed with confusion and she glanced sideways at Adora. “Research?”

“Glimmer! Ugh, don’t listen to her. We were just curious what it was like for happy hour, since we never go to the Fright Zone.” Adora shot Glimmer a look that Catra couldn’t quite interpret. Embarrassment mixed with something between _please shut up_ and _I will end you._

Bow jumped in to rescue the situation. “Ok, new topic! Catra, Adora told us that you’re new to the city.”

“About a year. I moved here from the Crimson Waste so the rain has been a little hard to adjust to, but I like it.”

“Bow and I grew up here. Adora’s been here since college.”

“Is that when you guys met?”

“No, Adora went to Etheria U, Bow and I went to Elberon College down south. We met at kickball.”

“Kickball?”

“We all play in a queer kickball league! Oh my god, you should join!” Bow, again with the overabundance of enthusiasm. His eyes were sparkling with joy and Catra had to force down a cringe at the thought of recreational sports.

She took a deep breath and a long sip of her drink. “Yeah, no, I’m definitely not joining a kickball league.”

Adora looked a little bummed out by Catra’s elaborate show of disdain. “It’s actually really fun! We meet up with a bunch of queers once a week, play kickball for like an hour and then get pizza and pitchers at a bar across the street from the park. But I guess if you’re _too cool_ for that, you can just wear your sexy suits and drink your fancy martinis back in the Fright Zone,” Adora teased.

“You think my suits are sexy?” Catra laughed, raising an eyebrow, as Adora blushed a little, realizing her admission way too late. “I guess I shouldn’t have changed before I came then, huh?”

“What, no! You look great, totally fine, no need for suits up here…” Adora was babbling, and Catra was eating it up. Glimmer rolled her eyes.

“Anyway, Catra, where did you go to college?” Glimmer asked.

“I went to CW State for undergrad, and then to Dryl for law school.”

“I really wanted to go to Dryl for undergrad, for their engineering program,” said Bow. “But I didn’t get in. My dads work at Elberon, so I got free tuition. Plus Glimmer was going there! Anyway, I bet Dryl was so cool.”

“Well, law school is law school. I think I spent the entire three years in the law library. I was so happy to get out of there when I finished.” They were veering dangerously close to _job talk_ , and Catra noticed that everyone’s drinks were getting low. “Hey, next round is on me. What can I get you all?” She quickly slid out of the booth. Adora jumped up after her.

“I’ll just come up with you, I know what Bow and Glimmer want. Plus the bartenders here take forever, so you’re going to be up there waiting for a long time.”

They wove their way through the crowd up to the bar, dodging sloshing pint glasses and elbows. Adora managed to squeeze onto an open barstool. She flagged the bartender but it was clear that it would be a while before he was going to be able to take their order. Adora spun around to face Catra. “Hi,” she said, smiling with a hint of shyness.

“Hey Adora.” Catra realized she was a lot closer to Adora than she thought, but she forced herself to keep her cool. She took a moment to actually take in Adora, who was beaming at her like a loopy golden retriever. Adora was dressed in black jeans and flannel with the arms ripped off, showing off those ripped arms Catra had been so entranced by the week before. Catra noticed she had a tattoo of a broadsword on her left forearm. _Interesting. I didn’t think Adora would be into Medieval shit, but it looks cool..._

“I’m glad you came,” Adora admitted. “Sorry if Glimmer and Bow are a little much.”

“Hey dummy, you don’t need to apologize for your friends. They’re fine, they’re nice. And I’m glad I came too.” Catra grasped Adora’s left hand and slid her fingers along the tattoo. “Tell me about this.”

Adora flushed, “Oh, um, it’s stupid. I got it when I was in college. I majored in classics and for a while I was super into the She-Ra myth.”

“She-Ra?”

“Yeah, you know, She-Ra, the Princess of Power. She was the protector of Etheria.” Catra could feel Adora’s skin growing warm as her flush deepend to a full body blush.

“Wow I didn’t know you were such a nerd. I guess I’ve never heard of She-Ra since I didn’t grow up around here. God knows the Crimson Waste could have used a protector. And hey, who doesn’t have an embarrassing tattoo from college?” Catra realized she was still holding Adora’s forearm in her hands, and quickly let it drop. The moment was further interrupted by the bartender, who was finally ready to take their order. They soon had their drinks and were on their way to the booth.

“Alright, vodka crans for Sparkles and Crop Top,” Catra smirked as she slid the glasses across the small table. “Cheers,” she added, as she clinked her glass against Adora’s. Glimmer looked miffed at the nickname but Bow was unfazed. They settled into a more comfortable rhythm at the table and ended up having a couple of more rounds before Glimmer and Bow decided to head home.

Catra had had more to drink than she anticipated, but was still in that warm, happy buzz that lingered for a while before a darker, sarcastic drunk set in. She should probably think about heading home. She and Adora were still nestled into the single side of the booth they’d been sitting in before Glimmer and Bow left, and she was enjoying their closeness.

“So, princess, what are your plans for the rest of the night?” She purred into Adora’s ear, running a long, black nail along her jaw.

“Princess?” Adora asked, raising an eyebrow.

“Don’t think I’ve forgotten about She-Ra.”

“Ugh, I should never have told you that.”

“I think it’s cute, in a devastatingly dorky way. And you didn’t answer my question.” Catra was now running her nails softly across the back of Adora’s neck. Catra could feel Adora shiver under her touch, and she knew she wasn’t leaving before she got a taste. She briefly dropped her gaze from Adora’s blue eyes down to her lips, telegraphing her hunger for a kiss.

“Oh, plans...honestly, I should go home.” Adora’s breathing was heavy and she was stumbling for her words. “I...I have an early morning...”

Catra was done waiting. “Adora?”

“Yeah?”

“Can I kiss you?”

Adora nodded slowly, breathlessly consenting as Catra leaned in closer. She paused, just millimeters from Adora’s lips, taking a deep breath before brushing her lips softly against Adora’s. The touch was brief, and as soon as it ended, Adora let out the breath she’d been holding. Catra wrapped her hand around the back of Adora’s neck and pulled her in for a deep and satisfying entanglement. Adora’s taste was ten times more intoxicating than the alcohol she’d been drinking all night and it was nearly impossible for Catra to pull herself away. But she did, eventually, and started to slide out the booth.

“Well, princess, I should go before you invite me home. She pulled her jacket on and leaned back into the booth to give Adora one last kiss. “Goodnight, Adora.”

“Bye Catra,” she heard Adora call as she made her way out of the bar and into the night.


	3. Arksia Lake

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Catra ups her game and takes Adora on a perfect date.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter is basically all fluff. Consider it the calm before the storm.

When employees are encouraged to work  _ happily _ and  _ passionately _ 60-70 hours per week, it’s best to at least give the illusion of pampering them. Horde Prime had cafes, coffee bars and lounges scattered throughout the campus that offered all kinds of gourmet meals and snacks, all free for employees. Catra, Scorpia and Entrapta were grabbing an afternoon coffee at their favorite spot, a coffee bar on the thirty-fifth floor that offered sweeping views of Etheira Sound. Sunbeams were breaking through the ever-present rain clouds, highlighting the islands scattered across the water. It was a breathtaking view that Horde Prime employees were treated to so often they almost became bored with it. This was their first time the trio had met up since the happy hour where Catra had met Adora.

“Alright Wildcat, we need an update. How did it go last Friday?” Scorpia always cut to the chase, uninterested in details that delayed or obscured any vital information. Catra rolled her eyes and groaned a little, but she was actually, secretly, excited to share how well things were going. She recapped the night that she met up with Adora and her friends in the Brightmoon. Scorpia was, predictably, overcome with excitement for Catra.

“Okay, but here’s the thing. We’re supposed to get coffee next weekend, but I feel like I need to up my game. We made the coffee plans before we even talked and it’s like a getting to know you kinda date, and I feel like we’re past that. But I don’t know what to do.”

“Oh! Oh! I have an idea. Or rather, I think that Emily might have an idea…” Entrapta’s eyes were glittering with excitement as she pulled out Emily, her AI tablet.

“What does that even mean, Entrapta?”

“I’ve been tweaking Emily’s AI and she should be able to analyze Adora’s digital footprint and determine what her idea of a perfect date would be!” She set the tablet on the table in front of Catra and woke it up. A disturbingly life-life face of a woman appeared on the screen, smiling and awaiting instructions. Catra desperately attempted to avoid eye contact with the AI woman.

“Oh. My. Gosh!” Scorpia gasped, grabbing the tablet. “Hi, Emily! We need you to help our friend!”

Entrapta yanked the tablet back from Scorpia and was about to start her query when Catra cut her off. “No! That’s super creepy and intrusive.”

“Come on, Catra. You work at Horde Prime. If you have an issue with privacy on the internet, maybe you should take a look around,” Entrapta gestured around the lounge. “I know for a fact that those two dudes over there work on the facial recognition algorithm that we’re selling to homeland security. Privacy is an illusion. Horde Prime knows more about Adora than she knows about herself.”

Catra knew that was true, but she got a stomach ache when she thought about it too much. She didn’t work on that side of the company so she was usually able to get through her work days without thinking about the massive amounts of personal data Horde Prime was continuously amassing. Most days, she was able to keep the actual business of Horde Prime abstract in her mind. She was just a lawyer, dealing with contracts and briefs, and whatever other business a megacorporation might need legal advice on (new city council project, notwithstanding…).

“It’s just kind of fucked up to use AI to analyze Adora without her knowing. I know that Horde Prime and other companies do that all the time, but we’re not a company and I feel like I should try to learn that stuff myself, when I’m, like, actually talking to her.”

“Wow Wildcat, I didn’t know you were such a romantic.”

Catra rolled her eyes at Scorpia. It wasn’t about that. It was just that Catra knew she wouldn’t want Adora or anybody else doing some data deep dive on her. Not that regular people like Adora had access to something like Emily or Horde Prime data.

“Emily’s capabilities are only a couple of steps above a Google search, it’s not that bad. Haven’t you googled her?” Entrapta was clearly eager to test out Emily’s upgrade. Catra had not googled Adora, and she hoped Adora had not googled her.

“No, I haven’t googled her. But ok, you can ask Emily. But can you tell it...her? That I don’t want to know any details, especially private ones. I just want to know some date ideas.”

“YES! EMILY!” The face on the tablet screen lit up. “Catra would like your assistance planning a romantic date for her new love interest. Just tell us the ideas, no personal details.”

_ "I will happily assist you with this. Please tell me the name of this person." _

“Adora. Um. I actually don’t know her last name."

_ "What other identifying information do you know about her?" _

“Uh, she’s a lawyer, she lives in the Brightmoon district of Etheria, and she went to college at Etheria University. She’s in her mid to late twenties.”

Emily appeared to be processing that information. A few seconds later a picture of Adora popped up on the screen and Catra cringed at how fast Emily was able to identify her.

_ "Is this the Adora you are inquiring about?" _

“Yes,” Catra replied.

_ "Based on her interests, history, and social connections, I have determined two options. It’s likely that she would enjoy hiking and/or eating large quantities of food." _

“Oooo, that’s SO cool!” Scorpia slapped Catra on the back, quite a bit harder than was warranted. “You’ve got your answer right there!”

Entrapta frowned a little. “She should be more detailed than that. Emily, Catra really wants to sweep Adora off her feet. Can you come up with anything better? Or more specific?”

The face went blank for a little bit and then lit back up.

_ "My analysis suggests that the most romantic hikes in the Etheria region this time of year are trails through the larch trees in the North Thaymor Range. Larches are one of the few deciduous conifers in the North Thaymor Range and their needles turn a brilliant golden color before dropping. According to several local hiking blogs, this coming weekend coincides with the peak in fall foliage in the Thaymors. Further analysis suggests that Catra should take Adora hiking and then to dinner. Adora’s favorite restaurant is--” _

“Emily, stop!” Catra yelped. “I don’t want to know her favorite restaurant, it’s too creepy.”

Emily went quiet. Entrapta looked pleased and Scorpia was beaming. “Oh man, Catra, that is going to be the BEST date.”

“Ugh, hiking. But that makes sense, she is a dumb jock. Thanks Entrapta...and Emily.”

* * *

**Catra (2:21pm)**

_ Hey _

_ I know we’re planning to get coffee tomorrow, but I have a better idea if you’re free all day _

_ We would need to get started early and probably won’t get back until dinner _

**Adora (3:50pm)**

_ hmmm _

_ Are you going to tell me what it is? _

**Catra (3:51pm)**

_ Nope  _ 😏

**Adora (3:53pm)**

_ How early? _

**Catra (3:53pm)**

_ 7:30 _

**Adora (3:54pm)**

_ Jesus _

_ Ok _

_ But you better show up with LOTS of coffee _

_ And pastries _

_ I mean GOOD SHIT, not just like Starbucks or whatever _

**Catra (3:55pm)**

_ Sure princess _

_ I got you  _ 😘

* * *

“Okay, Adora, what is the deal with Catra?” Adora was lounging in the living room with Glimmer, browsing movies on Netflix. Glimmer was hounding her for details. “You’re texting her like ALL the time.”

“She’s really cool. I like her.”

“Okay, but like, what’s her deal?”

“What do you even mean?” Adora was playing dumb. She could tell that Glimmer had already cemented her opinion of Catra but was still fishing for details. Glimmer was known for her snap judgements and Adora usually relied on Bow to help temper her, but Bow was out and Adora was going to have to manage Glimmer’s judgement on her own tonight.

“Like where does she work? What’s she into? Why do you like her? What’s her deal?”

“I told you, she’s a lawyer.”

“Yeah, but what kind?”

“Honestly, I don’t know. We kind of have this thing where we don’t talk about work.”

“That’s super weird.” Glimmer’s  _ I’m judging you right now _ face was in full force but Adora had anticipated this. She knew the work thing was kind of weird.

“Well, the first time I asked her, she said she didn’t want to talk about it because it was sensitive so I dropped it, and just like, haven’t brought it up again.”

“I think that’s shady. You’re a lawyer. You can talk about lawyer things without revealing whatever confidential shit you talk about clients.”

“Yeah, I don’t know. I just feel like I shouldn’t push it. At least not right now. I barely know her. But also, like, I feel like I’ve gotten to know her so well over the past couple of weeks. It’s confusing.”

“Well she wasn’t exactly warm and friendly last weekend. She’s kind of an asshole.”

“No, that’s just like her bar persona or whatever. She was teasing you, she wasn’t being an asshole. She’s different when we’re just texting or facetiming.”

“You facetime with her?”

“A little.”

Glimmer huffed in judgement, but Adora was not deterred. Sure, she hadn’t known Catra for very long and she didn’t know very much about her, but how do you get to know someone unless you actually talk to them? Plus, Catra always looked so good on the screen, her heterochromic eyes glowing mischievously with every joke and jab she made. How could Adora resist? Adora decided she needed to talk Catra up a little if she was going to win over Glimmer. And truth be told, Glimmer would probably  _ love  _ Catra if she gave her a chance.

“She’s taking me on a mystery date tomorrow.”

“A mystery date? What does that even mean?”

“She’s taking me somewhere, but I don’t know where we’re going. All I know is we’re going to be gone all day. I made her promise to bring me pastries. I think it’s cute.”

Glimmer seemed unconvinced. “Of course you do. And of course you demanded food. How do you know what to wear if you don’t know where you’re going?” 

“Oh shit, you’re right. I should find out.”

**Adora (9:10pm)**

_ How should I dress tomorrow?? _

_ I have no idea what to prepare for! _

**Catra (9:15pm)**

_ Wear one of your dumb jock outfits _

**Adora (9:15pm)**

_ Wow. Rude. I have no idea what you’re referring to. _

Catra immediately sent her three different screenshots of ridiculous gym selfies Adora had posted on Instagram over the past couple of weeks. Alright, maybe she posted a little too often, but she went hard at the gym. And obviously the posts caught  _ somebody’s _ eye.

**Adora (9:17pm)**

_ Ok point taken _

**Catra (9:17pm)**

_ We’re going to be outside _

_ Wear good shoes _

* * *

“Wow, you really took the dumb jock look to heart,” Catra laughed as Adora climbed into the passenger seat. Catra tossed a paper sack into Adora’s lap. “Croissants, pecan rolls and cheese danish, still warm, from a bakery in my neighborhood. Coffee’s in the cup holder. I didn’t know how you take it so there’s a black coffee, cream and sugar in the bag, or a latte if you’d rather have that. There’s extra in a thermos in the backseat.”

Adora opened the bag and huffed in a deep breath of the buttery, sugary treasures. She practically groaned with pleasure as she breathed out.

“Jesus, if I knew it was this easy to get you off, I would have just taken you to breakfast. Also, at least one of those is for me.”

“You know, I’ve never come from a croissant, but this is excellent foreplay.” Adora’s response might have sounded smooth but Catra could tell her joke was spicier than Adora had expected first thing in the morning. Her cheeks flushed and she scrunched down a little in the seat. Catra decided to tone it down.

“Ok, horndog, reel it in a little. And buckle up, we’ve got a long drive.”

“Are you going to tell me where we’re going?”

“No. You’ll see when we get there.”

“I feel like we’re going hiking.”

“Well, we are lesbians in Etheria. Doesn’t take a genius to figure it out.” Catra laughed but she was suddenly nervous. She was taking a big swing, not to mention committing them to an entire day together. “Is that ok? Do you like hiking? It’s going to take us like two hours to get there.”

“Yeah, this is perfect. I love it. What trail are we going to?”

“Still a secret.”

“Ok, fine.” Adora finally fished a big ham and cheese croissant out of the bag and started munching as they sped down the highway out of town. The morning fog was starting to lift but the city still had a chilly autumn air about it. Catra hoped the sun would break through by the time they got to the trail head. They drove in a comfortable silence while Adora polished off another pastry and guzzled her coffee.

About a half an hour into their drive, they had left the city behind and were winding up the highway into the foothills of the Thaymors. The trees were still blanketed in fog but there was a warm glow from the sun filtering through. Catra stole little glances at Adora as she drove. Despite the embarrassing flakes of pastry dusted across her chin, the woman was stunning. The lack of conversation was more of a comfortable quiet than an awkward silence, and Catra was content to listen to music while Adora enjoyed the view.

Eventually, Adora did break the silence. “What was it like growing up in the Crimson Waste? I’ve only ever lived here in Etheria and in Mystacor, where I grew up.” Mystacor was a small town a couple hours up the coast from Etheria.

The Crimson Waste was the polar opposite of Etheria. Etheria was lush and green and always just a little chilly, whether or not it was raining. Moss blanketed everything outside of the city and air always smelled fresh and piney. Catra told Adora about life in the desert, where the air sucked every bit of moisture from your skin and the heat was unbearable whether you were in the sun or the shade. She described the cactus gardens at CW State and joked that she never realized how pale she could actually become until she moved to Etheria and realized she had a year round tan her whole life that faded away in Etheria’s winter darkness. “I didn’t know you could be brown without actually being brown. I only miss the Crimson Waste in the winter, when it’s dark all goddamn day here. I miss the sun.”

“Is that really the only thing you miss about your home. What about your family?”

“I don’t really have a family. I grew up in foster care and I skipped between houses a bunch growing up. I never really stayed anywhere long enough to think of it as home.” Catra could feel herself tensing up at the admission about her past, but she tried not to let it show. She knew Adora was adopted, and hoped that shared history might make the topic a little easier to navigate. “Were you in the system for very long before you got adopted?”

“Not really. I was four, and I don’t really remember a lot from before my parents adopted me. It was a closed adoption so I don’t know anything about my birth family or where I was before I got adopted. What about you? Do you know anything about your birth family?”

“As far as I know, both of my parents are dead. They weren’t together when I was born, and I was in the system by the time I was two. And you know how it is, most people who adopt want a baby, not some junkie’s damaged toddler. I guess you were lucky.” Catra realized her tone was more acidic than she intended, and tried to recover, “Sorry, I didn’t mean anything by that. It’s great that you and your parents have each other. I just don’t know what that’s like.”

Adora didn’t seem put off by Catra’s comment. Without taking her eye off the winding mountain highway, Catra could tell Adora had been gazing at her through the whole conversation. Adora shifted, tucking her feet up onto the seat and wrapping her arms around her knees before responding, “The whole system sucks. But look at you now. Seems like you made it through ok.”

Catra sighed and agreed, “Yeah, I guess. I try not to think about it too much.”

Adora dropped the topic and they settled back into another stretch of silence. In truth, Catra’s childhood in the foster system had been a series of transfers between temporary foster parents and crowded group homes, none which had felt nurturing or safe. She had learned to protect and care for herself but she still carried a lot of the scars of broken promises and neglect. Therapy was helping, and was probably the only reason Catra was able to talk about it all. But talking with Adora felt different, easier, than with other people. Maybe because Catra knew they shared a little bit of that history, or maybe that was just how Adora was. Open, warm, trusting. Catra was doing her best to shut down the protective warning bells ringing in her mind and just lean into Adora’s comfortable glow. Her hand had been resting on the center console and Adora reached over and wove her hand into Catra’s. Catra felt all the tension that had seeped into her shoulders drain away.

There weren’t very many cars parked at the trail head, likely because of their early start. Adora practically leapt out of the car and shook out any stiffness from the long drive. Catra grabbed a backpack from the back seat and pulled on a thick flannel jacket and beanie.

“Oh, I see how it is. You tell me to dress like a dumb jock but you show up looking like hot lumberjack. I feel like you could have given me more information to work with.”

“Sorry princess, maybe I like that look on you. Plus I’m not about to be out here twinning on our first date.”

“Do you want me to carry the backpack?”   
  
“You can put your muscles away, I’ve got it for now. Maybe you can take a turn later.”

“So how long is this hike you’re taking me on? Do we end up somewhere amazing? OH! Is there a waterfall?!”

“Okay, okay, you’ve been patient enough.” Catra handed Adora a pamphlet. Adora unfolded it to find a map of the trail and a description of the hike. It was a four mile loop around a lake tucked into a cirque, an ancient bowl-shaped valley carved by the glaciers that used to cover the peaks of the Thaymors. There were a ton of different hikes Catra could have picked if she just wanted to take Adora to see the golden larches, but she picked this lake for a different reason. Adora was still skimming the pamphlet but Catra could see excitement building in her eyes and smile.

“Catra! Everything here is named after ancient Etheria! This is called Arksia Lake? The Sirenia Trail? And is that…” Adora’s mouth gaped. Catra had clearly hit a homerun.

“Yeah, She-Ra Peak. We’re going to get an awesome view of it, if ever get on the trail. Are you ready?”

“Catra, this is so cool. I had no idea this was here.”

“Well, given the fact that you didn’t even know Mt. Mara was a volcano, I assumed you haven’t paid much attention to this kind of stuff. She-Ra Peak is a volcano too. It’s actually erupted much more recently than Mt. Mara.”

“How do you know all this?”

“I googled it and read like two blog posts, dummy. Now come on, I’m cold, let’s get moving.” Catra grabbed Adora’s hand and pulled her towards the trail.

As they hiked up the trail, Adora babbled about ancient Etheria and the She-Ra myths. Catra listened intently, never failing to interject jabs about Adora’s dorky enthusiasm. She also periodically cut in to point out a particularly impressive tree or a weird mushroom popping up through the mossy undergrowth. Before either of them realized how far they’d come, they found themselves at the half-way point, a rocky overlook with an incredible view of the lake below, the valley perfectly framing a towering mountain at the far end. She-Ra Peak.

They took in the view quietly. The only sounds were their heavy breaths from the steep climb up to the overlook and a few birds chirping in the background. The mountain loomed large with the low autumn sun shining on its ragged talus slopes and snow-capped peak.

“It’s beautiful,” Adora said in a near whisper. “Thank you for bringing me here.”

Catra flushed, suddenly a little awkward and unsure what to say. She slid the backpack off her shoulders and started pulling out an array of little packages -- crackers, cheeses, smoked fish, cured meat, dried fruits and nuts, a small pot of honey -- and arranging them on a nearby boulder. “I brought some lunch. This is definitely going to be the best spot on the hike to eat it.”

Adora was still taking in the view. When she finally turned and saw the spread Catra had laid out, she smiled. “I’m starving, this is awesome. How did you think of all of this? It’s like you hacked into my brain and designed my dream date.”

Visions of Emily’s creepy AI face flashed into Catra’s memory. No way was she going to admit to Adora that she actually did kind of hack into her brain. “My friends helped me brainstorm a little. They came up with the idea of the hike, but I took it from there.

“Well definitely thank them on my behalf and make sure that they design all our future dates.”

“Wow, someone’s being presumptive.” Catra laughed. “What makes you think I’m going to ask you out again?”

“Yeah, I guess you’re right. You won’t have a chance because I’m just going to go for it, right here right now. Catra, let’s go out again, ok? And I’m going to plan the next one. Better give me your friend’s numbers so I can start a group chat for brainstorming.”

“You’re such an idiot. Come eat this food.” 

They (mostly Adora) polished off the entire picnic and lingered at the overlook for a while before heading out to finish the loop.

This time, as they hiked down from the overlook, it was Catra who talked and Adora who listened. It was like a damn in Catra’s head had broken and all the mindless chatter she worked so hard to keep locked in her internal monologue came rushing out.  _ This time of year always reminds me of this one particular album I listened to on repeat in college. Juvenile bald eagles look just like golden eagles, except their beaks are a lot bigger. I never went hiking before I moved to Etheria.  _ Seriously, Catra could not shut herself up. But Adora seemed genuinely interested in every single thing Catra rambled about, and at some point, about a mile down the trail, Catra realized they were holding hands.

* * *

On the drive back from the hike, Adora suggested grabbing some noodles at her favorite ramen shop. She was committed to prolonging the date as long as possible and dinner could buy an extra hour or two. As they slurped down their noodles and chatted, Adora racked her brain for after dinner activities.  _ A walk? Dessert? Are there any bars worth hitting up tonight? Anything! _

Catra was incredible. She was unlike anyone Adora had gone out with. She had this hard edge (which was, by the way, Adora found very sexy) but was a secret softie underneath. She hardly talked most of the time, until she suddenly couldn’t stop on the hike. Like a switch had flipped and shut down all her firewalls.

Adora realized during that stretch of the hike that Catra’s quietude and cool detachment masked how observant she actually was about the world around her. Her attention to every little detail was what allowed her to wield her sarcasm and wit so efficiently, and how she was able to point out a ton of rad shit on the trail that Adora would have stomped right past without a second glance. And even though she teased Adora constantly, her tone belied a genuine interest in whatever dorky thing Adora was being teased for. Every glimpse of her interior that she showed Adora made Adora want more. 

Adora was running out of time to think of another way to prolong the date. The best she could come up with was a desperate, “Hey! Do you want to hang out at my place?” that she blurted out as they strolled back to Catra’s car after dinner. Ugh, so weak. Adora cringed at her lack of imagination. She smiled regardless, hopeful that Catra was interested.

But then Catra laughed at the question.

“There’s no way I’m going to hang out at that circus tent you share with twenty other people.”

Adora’s sheepish smile faded and she could tell that she must have looked genuinely sad by the way Catra’s eyes widened with concern. “It’s only seven people,” Adora mumbled.

“Hey, no, Adora, I was just joking!” Catra was clearly worried she’d ruined the moment. “But I’d rather go back to my place, where it would just be us. Would that be ok?”

Adora lit up again and before she could stop herself, she pulled Catra in for a hungry kiss. “Yes, that’s perfect.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I based the Horde Prime campus on a combo of [Amazon HQ](https://www.builtinseattle.com/2019/03/08/coolest-features-amazon-seattle-headquarters) and [Google HQ](https://www.businessinsider.com/photos-of-googles-free-food-2016-8#heres-a-vegan-take-on-a-pok-bowl-made-with-beets-and-seaweed-at-google-new-york-2). Amazon does not feed its employees for free but Google and most other tech companies do. I obviously think both are absurd and should be dismantled!
> 
> The hike that Catra takes Adora on is based on a real lake in the North Cascades called [Minotaur Lake](https://www.wta.org/go-hiking/hikes/minotaur-lake). The lake and all the surrounding features are named after Greek Mythology.


End file.
